Miami Heat 1-on-1: Time to trade Goran Dragic, before he declines?

Should the Miami Heat move Goran Dragic, before it’s too late?

Welcome to Miami Heat 1-on-1, a new series here at AllUCanHeat. Today, Ivan Mora and Allana Tachauer discuss Goran Dragic, and whether or not the Miami Heat would be wise to trade him now, before he starts to show wear and tear.

First thing’s first: how do you feel about Goran Dragic’s 2017-2018 campaign with the Miami Heat?

Ivan Mora (@ivanmora): I think it was a very successful year for the Dragon.

Regarding injuries, he actually had one of the best seasons yet, only missing six games. Dragic has slowly turned into Miami’s leader and in Dwyane Wade‘s absence, he took on that task head on and fully delivered.

I think being co-captain now, alongside James Johnson and Udonis Haslem, has shown what a true veteran he really is. He displays great mentorship on and off the court, fully embracing the Heat Culture and is exactly what Miami needs right now.

His 2017-18 campaign (like subsequently any other Heat start) didn’t pan out as planned. Too much excitement and too many expectations overtook the Heat locker room, and I think the pressure might’ve been too much for their young core to handle.

However Dragic soon stepped up, averaging 17.3 points per game to go along with his ever so helpful 4.8 assists, while maintaining a great pace for the Heat, as they figured out their identity in the struggling Eastern Conference. I think a lot can be said about his demeanor and how well he handled himself, throughout an exhausting year filled with injuries and constant confusion in their rotations.

He kept his head high and that’s all you can ask of a consistent leader.

Allana Tachauer (@allanatachauer): Goran Dragic was just about the only consistent thing to come out of the Miami Heat’s 2017-18 run, so for that reason alone I’d say his campaign is certainly worth celebrating.

But beyond that, his overall performance last season was impressive. His numbers decreased slightly from 2016-17, but I think he may have actually made a greater impact on the entire team.

Off the court, he was mentoring younger guys like Bam Adebayo and helping new-comer Kelly Olynyk slide right into the Heat’s system, stepping up as the organizations’ glue, through and through.

And he didn’t fail to deliver on the court either.

After all, the Slovenia-native was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week not once, but twice this past year. He also made the 2018 All-Star roster for the first time in his career, a great feat regardless of the fact that he was chosen as a replacement for an injured Kevin Love.

Dragic deserves every bit of praise for his work last season.